ALAMEDA -- Several teams around the league have responded to subpar play this season by making changes among their assistant coaches. Raiders coach Dennis Allen doesn't see the need to go that route.

Allen said Monday in his weekly news conference that the evaluation process for everyone is ongoing.

"I'm not going to stand up here and say we're making wholesale changes," Allen said. "We're going to look at every aspect of what we do, offensively, defensively and the kicking game, and if we feel changes need to be made, we'll make those changes."

Allen said his team's recent defensive play has been disappointing. They get one issue fixed, then another issue surfaces.

On Sunday, it was the pass defense. Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco passed for 341 yards and three touchdowns in Baltimore's 55-20 win. A week earlier, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rushed for 278 yards and four touchdowns.

Several times, Flacco found receivers wide open as a result of blown coverages or players late responding.

Veteran defensive end Andre Carter said it takes time for players to jell in a new scheme.

"There's no doubt in our minds that we are a talented team," Carter said, "but being talented and going out on the field and having a high level of productivity, a high level of execution for 60 minutes, is another thing. That's the level that we're trying to be on."

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Allen deemed the performance of his defense against Sunday "unacceptable." The Raiders defense and special teams allowed 55 points to the Ravens. They have given up a combined 97 points and 934 yards in the past two games.

"I would hope that they would all be on edge because we all should be on edge," Allen said.

Allen has said that the Raiders will have to find a way to win with the players on their 53-man roster. He believes there is enough talent defensively for the Raiders to succeed. Again, it comes down to consistency.

"We have to play at a high level on every single snap in every single game," Allen said. "Just like anybody else in the NFL, if you don't play consistently, you're going to have the ups and downs like we've had. I don't look at it as a talent issue."

The Raiders lost backup linebacker/long-snapper Travis Goethel to a left knee injury, Allen said. Goethel suffered his injury against the Ravens.

Goethel will be placed on season-ending injured reserve. Allen said he intends to take a look at free-agent linebackers in the coming days.

Myers and Giordano are undergoing the league-mandated tests for players who suffer a concussion. They can't return to practice or play in a game until they are cleared by the medical staff.

Allen said he expects Huff to recover from his injury in time to play Sunday against New Orleans. Branch is undergoing tests to determine the extent of his neck injury.

Rookie Tony Bergstrom played on offense Sunday for the first time this season, replacing Willie Smith for 17 snaps at right offensive tackle. He played a handful of downs on special teams the first eight games.

"He did OK," Allen said of Bergstrom, a third-rounder who was the Raiders' highest draft pick this year. "He showed some of his youth, especially playing the tackle position. But there were some things there that I felt like were encouraging about the way that he went out and played."

Even so, Allen said he "anticipates" veteran Khalif Barnes starting against the Saints.

Barnes started the first two games at right offensive tackle before he suffered a groin injury that required surgery. Barnes returned to practice last Wednesday.

Linebacker Aaron Curry played 15 snaps in his first game of the season. He missed all of training camp and the first eight regular-season games while recovering from sore knees.

Curry replaced rookie Miles Burris, as defensive coordinator Jason Tarver wanted to give Burris a breather after he played every snap in recent games.

Curry recorded one tackle. He also got flagged twice for personal-foul penalties.

Carson Palmer tops the AFC with 2,723 yards passing through nine games. He is third overall, trailing the Saints' Drew Brees and the Falcons' Matt Ryan.

Palmer and Brees square off Sunday. Palmer is on pace for 4,841 yards, which would eclipse Rich Gannon's franchise record of 4,689 in 2002.